Nigeria, April 13 -- Imagine a sunlit afternoon in Lagos, the air alive with the sizzle of suya and the chatter of a packed viewing center. The Premier League flickers on a weathered screen, and Arsenal has just eked out a nervy 2-0 win over Manchester United. An Arsenal fan, grinning over his bottle of Gulder, calls out, "United's attack moves slower than a danfo stuck on Third Mainland !" Laughter ripples through the room, and a United supporter, unruffled, replies, "At least we don't polish second place like it's a golden trophy !" What unfolds is football banter, a timeless ritual that turns a match into a festival of wit, as vibrant in Nigeria as it is in Manchester, Rio, or anywhere the game's heartbeat thrums.

A Legacy Woven in Wo...